


Miles Apart

by Catchinglikekerosene



Series: Requests and Drabbles [12]
Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Exes, F/M, Phone Calls & Telephones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:42:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27564736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catchinglikekerosene/pseuds/Catchinglikekerosene
Summary: Becca gives Ethan a call. She never anticipated he would pick up the phone.From the things you said prompt list:4. things you said over the phone15. things you said with too many miles between us
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)
Series: Requests and Drabbles [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828768
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	Miles Apart

Ethan was sat in his private office late one summer’s evening. The sky was a starless ebony, the air around him free of calamity. It was just him, his thoughts and the dwindling pile of paperwork; an otherwise peaceful and uneventful night.

That was until his phone rang. 

He picked it up with mild hesitation; “Hello?” 

He could hear the heavy breaths of the person on the other line. They took two deep inhales before finally speaking; 

“Ethan, hi.” 

Her voice. It had been months since he last heard her voice. 

“It’s Bec- Rebecca Lao,” she enlightened. As if he could ever bring himself to delete her number or forget the sound of her voice. 

Though this wasn’t the Rebecca he once knew. Her words were lacking a confidence that had once become synonymous with _her_. The formality stung him deep to his core. 

The truth was she didn’t anticipate him actually answering her call. Becca had spent the better part of her day planning what she was going to say, settling on a short script for his voicemail. She waited and bought herself time - picking the most perfect hour where she figured he’d be working through his evening routine and too settled to answer an unknown number. 

“What can I do for you, Dr. Lao?” 

“I um, just wanted to tell you...” she stuttered through, seemingly distant. Ethan assumed she was playing with the edges of her clothes; a simple distraction to keep her feelings from betraying her. “My research is being published.” 

Last week she received a formal offer for publication for the research she left Edenbrook to pursue. That was nearly three years ago, 20 months before she and Ethan broke up for the very last time. 

“That’s wonderful. Congratulations.” 

“Thank you. I’m really excited.” her lips twitched upwards at his sincere tone. And for a second set let herself fall back into old habits. For a brief moment she was his mentee again, “I didn’t think... is it too early?” 

She didn’t need to elaborate. Ethan knew exactly what she was asking.

“You’re the brightest doctor of your generation, Becca. Don’t doubt yourself because I sure as hell don’t doubt your capabilities. Neither do those publishers. If they didn’t believe in your work, they wouldn’t have signed you.” 

He could hear her let out the breath she was holding in. “How do you always know what to say?” 

“Years of trial and error.” 

Ethan thought back to the last time they had one of these moments. Back when he visited her in California, and instead of having a romantic week away he spent it in the lab with her batting around theories. 

After a brief pause he added, “When it’s ready, please send me a copy.” 

“I’ve got a signed copy with your name on it.” 

He could hear the smile in her voice. After all this time the image of her radiant smile still gave him butterflies. Hearing it tightened his chest. 

They hung in silence; miles apart and with too much history and miles between them. 

“Rookie?” 

“Hm?” 

“I’m proud of you.” 

“That means a lot, Ethan, really.” 


End file.
